Cubs sign relief pitcher, tender contracts

The Chicago Cubs added a relief pitcher Friday and tendered contracts to their key players eligible for salary arbitration.

They signed left-handed relief pitcher Brian Duensing to a one-year, $2 million contract to add depth to their bullpen and possible insurance in case of the expected departure of Travis Wood via free agency.

The Cubs did not tender contracts to left-handed pitchers Gerardo Concepcion and Zac Rosscup, right-handed pitcher Conor Mullee and infielder Christian Villanueva. Any or all can re-sign with the Cubs on minor-league deals and perhaps go to spring training as nonroster players.

Four arbitration-eligible players have been tendered 2017 contracts: right-handed pitchers Jake Arrieta, Justin Grimm, Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop. Overall, 26 players from the Cubs 40-man roster were tendered 2017 contracts Friday - the four arbitration eligible players and 22 players not yet eligible for arbitration. Those include the likes of Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Addison Russell, Javier Baez, Willson Contreras, Kyle Hendricks and Carl Edwards Jr.

The Cubs' 40-man roster stands at 35.

Duensing, who turns 34 in February, pitched for the Minnesota Twins from 2009-15. He appeared in 14 games for the Baltimore Orioles this year, going 1-0 with a 4.05 ERA. For his career, Duensing is 42-37 with a 4.13 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in 368 games.